Hong Kong Filmart has long established itself as Asia’s leading marketplace, spanning films, TV series, animations and games, and expanding into music and digital entertainment. Last year, it attracted more than 760 exhibitors and 7,500 visitors from around the globe, bringing key industry professionals together to connect and collaborate.
The 29th edition will take place from March 17-20 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).
Filmart is more than just an exhibition. It is an immersive experience where visitors can share knowledge and enjoy networking opportunities and engaging activities.
Special programmes for producers will be organised for the first time this year to facilitate international exchange and foster relationships among Hong Kong producers and their global counterparts. The event will feature a co-production panel, workshops, fireside chats and networking events.
The market will also spotlight artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the entertainment industries through live demonstrations and interactive forums to boost the adoption and use of AI in filmmaking.
To make the most of the event experience, this year will see the introduction of an enhanced Filmart Online platform, which will enable exhibitors and visitors to connect before, during and after the show. It will go live from late February until mid-April for 10 weeks, extending the show period online.
While the previous Filmart Online platform that operated for the 2023 and 2024 editions focused primarily on exhibition planning and operation — and functioned more like an online booth — the enhanced version is transformed into an extensive IP catalogue for all entertainment content, from film and TV to animation and shorts. New key features include advanced search and filtering capabilities, which allow users to make more tailored searches and easily locate the products and services that meet their needs.
Information hub
The platform will streamline the entire business-matching process and facilitate the connection between global content creators, buyers and industry professionals.
Through a centralised database, exhibitors can upload detailed project information, including synopsis, images, trailer links and other promotional materials. They can establish a direct connection with potential buyers and business partners and start early meaningful conversations before in-person meetings take place at Filmart.
This new approach creates a comprehensive and efficient marketplace for IP trading, reinforcing Hong Kong’s influential role as a major hub in this field in Asia.
Filmart is always a highly anticipated must-attend event for industry professionals to engage and interact. “Hong Kong Filmart is a very important marketplace for us to promote our content to the world. Hong Kong is the gateway to China, and one of the biggest entertainment hubs connecting all Asian countries,” says Miyuki Nakasone of Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi Corporation, who has participated in Filmart for several years.
“We are looking forward to coming here to meet our valued clients and to have intimate face-to-face business discussions with them, as well as explore meetings with potential clients. We meet a lot of new people at Filmart from Hong Kong, China, Thailand and South Korea.”
Around 30 pavilions will host a raft of organisations this year. Set to return from Asia are the International Drama Festival in Tokyo and UniJapan; the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and Korean Film Council (KOFIC); and representatives from mainland China provinces and cities such as Beijing, Guangdong, Shanghai and Hangzhou.
From Southeast Asia, returning pavilions include Thailand’s Ministry of Culture, Thailand Creative Culture Agency and the country’s Department of Cultural Promotion. The Philippines will be represented through the Film Development Council while Cambodia will host its first pavilions through the Ministry of Culture of Fine Arts as well as the Cinema and Cultural Diffusion Department. Vietnam’s Film Development Association will also be in attendance.
Leading local Hong Kong companies, which are always easily recognisable by their elaborate and eye-catching booth designs, will also return. These include Edko Films, Emperor Motion Pictures, Entertaining Power, Golden Scene, MakerVille, MediaAsia, Mei Ah Entertainment, RTHK, TVB and Sil-Metropole.
Europe and North America are ramping up their visibility through pavilions from France (Unifrance), Italy (Italian Trade Commission), the UK (Film Export) and the US (IFTA) alongside Australia’s New South Wales (Investment NSW).
“Most of the Asian companies come to Filmart. It is a very important event in their calendar every year when they don’t go elsewhere, so for us we need to have a presence,” says Caroline Couret-Delegue, managing director of London-based sales agent Film Seekers, who recognises the importance of going to Asian buyers directly and identified Filmart as the best place to achieve this.
“We have met with quite a lot of our Chinese distributors, but also distributors from Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. I have met about eight companies that I would never have encountered if I hadn’t [attended Filmart],” she adds.
“Compared to similar exhibitions in Asia, the scale of Filmart is larger and attracts higher-quality buyers, which is very helpful for expanding our business,” says a representative from BiliBili, a popular video-streaming platform based in Shanghai.
Running concurrently with Filmart, EntertainmentPulse will return for its fourth edition, as a four-day conference series where industry leaders will share insights on the latest industry trends and opportunities in Asia and beyond.
Evolving media
Among the highlights is a session exploring the opportunities and challenges in the rapidly growing ASEAN market, with representatives from Singapore, Cambodia and Thailand sharing in-depth analysis; the latest developments in Asia’s flourishing animation market, from Japan’s globally influential anime to China’s innovative digital animations and Southeast Asia’s emerging creative hubs; and how OTT platforms are reshaping distribution channels and opening new pathways for filmmakers to connect with global audiences. Panellists include experts from major streaming platforms and entertainment companies across Asia.
There is also a filmmaker session with Hong Kong directors Anselm Chan and Philip Yung, whose respective films The Last Dance and Papa scored both commercial success and critical acclaim. Funeral business drama The Last Dance made history as the third local film ever to cross the hk$100m ($12.8m) milestone at the Hong Kong box office; it went on to become the biggest Hong Kong and Chinese-language film of all time. It was also the overall highest-grossing film in 2024, topping all Hollywood and overseas titles.
Filmart events and programmes are open to all participants, while certain exclusive producers’ programmes are available by invitation only. Participants and producers are encouraged to follow the latest updates at the Filmart website: hkfilmart.hktdc.com/conference/hkfilmart/en
Contact: filmart@hktdc.org
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